Georgia Bulldog Linebacker MJ Sherman Starting To "Make More Plays"

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ATHENS - If you follow Georgia Bulldog recruiting, then you remember how big of a deal it was when Kirby Smart landed a commitment from 5-star linebacker Mekhail Sherman‍.

A 5-star outside linebacker from Washington DC, Sherman has always looked the part physically, but he’s yet to make a giant impact for the Bulldogs on defense so far in his career.

He was a tremendous high school player and a 5-star off the field, so it’s easy to see why he was a major target for the Bulldogs back in the 2020 class. He may not have cracked the starting lineup just yet, but it’s clear he’s become a player the staff has high hopes for.

“He’s done a tremendous job”, Smart said about Sherman this week. “He has tremendous toughness. He comes to work every day. Every time we do the academic report, they talk about how much better MJ is doing this semester. Really, he just had one bad semester when he first got here, and ever since then he's been on point with his academics. He's become a key cog in our special teams. He had some really big plays on kickoff on Saturday, and he's a leader on the punt block and return team. I'm really proud of the maturity he's shown, and he's gotten a lot better as an outside linebacker, too."

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It’s not easy to crack the starting linebacker unit at Georgia right now with so much talent on the roster, but in Athens, special teams are key, and that’s where Sherman has made plays this year.

"We all do special teams”, Smart added. “There's not a player on the team besides the quarterbacks who aren't a feature on the special teams. And even they hold. That's culture. The players before him did the same thing. Nolan Smith starts on two units. There are guys out there that play on special teams that play in positions, and he knows he is still developing as an outside linebacker. And he's also got two guys in front of him who are pretty good. As he gets more opportunities, he'll make the most of them. He's started to make more and more plays out there on the field."

Sherman also spoke to reporters this week about his role on the team and his job on the special teams unit.

"I take it very seriously”, Sherman said. “Every day we try to fight for opportunities to show that we are capable of doing what we have to do on the field. As seriously as you take your nine to five job is as seriously as I take my special teams job because that we what we have to do. I take a lot of pride in fulfilling my job and helping the team win. I try to do that every week, specifically last week."

Sherman is a true team player who will do everything he can for the team. That’s how he was raised and that’s how he’s managed his Bulldog career. He’s a team-first guy, and eventually he should see more and more time at linebacker.

"I would say that I grew a lot”, Sherman said of his growth from last year to this year. “Moreso in a sense where humility was part of that and a lot of understanding. Connection was a part of that, too. Coach Smart preaches about connection and how we have to stay connected. That is one of the things that really helped me stay grounded and humble throughout the process of being a reserve. The front seven and the 11 that are on defense, there were talented folks out on that field in front of me. What does it matter for me to throw my hands up and complain or kick rocks on the ground instead of just appreciating where I am at and understanding how to learn from those guys in front of me?”

It’s never easy for a 5-star to sit on the bench. He was one of the nation’s top defenders out of high school, yet he’s still waiting his turn to be a key member of Georgia’s defense. Of course, Sherman isn’t one to complain or feel sorry for himself. He’s going to continue to work and grind every day in practice in hopes of making the team better.

He’s a player you win championships with. While he’s still a reserve, he makes the team better, especially on special teams.

Will we see more of Sherman on defense? It’s possible, and he certainly has the talent to make it happen. We’ll see how the former 5-star progresses as his third season in Athens moves along this fall.